Writer – Garth Ennis
Artist – Keith Burns, Mike Dorey
Colours – Jason Wordie
Letters – Rob Steen

After a return in an oversized special, Battle Action would come back again the following year in 2023 with six more action-packed issues with the first featuring two stories by Garth Ennis once more at the helm. The first would be called “The Tough Way Out” and would star the Rat Pack while the second would feature Hellman of Hammer Force in the lead in a story called “At the Twilight of the Reich”. The book begins with the Rat Pack being sent on a daring and unusual rescue mission with artwork from the great Keith Burns. Most of the story is par for the course: exciting scenarios, furtive movements, exchanges with the enemy, etc. It is not until the tale’s end that it gives readers an extra little bit of dialogue that changes things up and ends it all perfectly. The second half of the book stars erstwhile German tank commander Hellman and as the book shifts into black and white with Mike Dorey’s artwork, it finds the man running into a few civilians looking to get away from the war. Unbeknownst to them, they are going the wrong way and so it is a good thing that these German youths have run into one of their country’s greatest patriots. Hellman for his part, is going to do what he can to help these kids out because they are what he is fighting for and he is determined to make sure they make it out of both the war and their current scenario alive for bearing down on them are the Russians who are not in the mood to hold their punches. Altogether, this premiere issue was everything one could want in a comic and more, filled with a ton of action where artists Burns and Dorey would end up shining. Both are equally good at their craft, showing war at its grittiest, yet the two could not be more different when it comes to style and that is what makes an anthology book so good, there is a little something for everyone whether it be story or art. Of the two stories presented, the second featuring Hellman is the better, not so much in terms of artwork but in content. While the first is exciting and towards the end, a little humorous, the second is a little more relatable to the reader. It is something that could happen and did happen to many though not everyone had a Hellman on their side. One can easily put themselves in those kids’ shoes, which makes Ennis’ second tale stand out just a bit more. As it is though, both were good and make one want to see what the rest of the series has in store.

3.5 out of 5